The Devil in his Eyes
by PatriciaF
Summary: Pia Adora, an aspiring singer, is under the direction of the sadistic Maestro Alexi. Will the Winchesters be able to free her from his hypnotic power? And is she the innocent ingenue she appears to be?
1. Chapter 1

He stood at the precipice of the bridge looking down at the dark, swirling waters below. With nothing to hold him back, her haunting voice, in the distance, was taunting him, as if swirling around and pushing him ever forward. "One more step," she sang,

"One more step to freedom,

Take a chance, Take a chance."

The words had never rang truer in his ears, so familiar, almost as if he had heard them all his life. He tried to step away, as tears filled his eyes, but could not. He had no choice but to let the music carry him into the abyss.

But it was not a peaceful end, as he had been led to believe. He suffered, horribly, as the water enveloped him. He was not even allowed a final, sweet breath as his lungs painfully began filling with ice cold liquid.

Explosions surrounded his head, Pop, Pop, Pop, like dozens of fireworks combusting in his brain. There would be no reprieve of a loss of consciousness. He could still sense as he was sinking deeper into the water, that her voice, ever present, was strangely not sounding farther away, accompanying him closer to ultimate death. Oddly, he did not, and could not resist, and as if paralyzed, endured his agonizing doom, aware until the end.

(...)

"Look, it's happened again.." Sam turned his laptop toward Dean so he could see.

Dean stood in the kitchen of the bunker in a white housecoat with a large mug of coffee, and gestured with his other hand as if to ask why, "You know, you can just read it to me..."

Sam shot Dean a discerning look as he moved the laptop back in front of himself. "Tacoma... Three drowning deaths in one evening, all within minutes of each other" he looked up from his computer, "and last week there were two freak accidents in Tampa," he told his brother "as well as the four that caught our attention last month in Phoenix. That makes..." he hesitated as he tallied up the score.

"A whole lot?" Dean interrupted. "I still don't see how this is a case for us..."

"Because, Dean, "Sam patiently explained,"the victims all died the same way in each city. Drownings in Tacoma, train collisions in Tampa, crushed to death in Phoenix, all within minutes of each other, and all between 8 and midnight. You don't think that seems suspicious?"

"Yeah, but," Dean was willing to surmise as he took a sip of his coffee, "these things happened in different parts of the country. You'd think that whoever or whatever was responsible wouldn't criss cross the map so much." He glanced at Sam to see if he was watching, and slipped a flask out of his robe pocket, quickly pouring some of the liquid into his coffee.

"Like stay in one place?"

"Or at least follow a straight line..." Dean rested his elbows on the table across from Sam, his interest piqued in spite of himself. He took another sip of his coffee, an placed it down with a contented smile.

"Not if there's some agenda we don't know about..." Sam straightened up quickly "Huh..."

"What is it?" Dean looked at him guiltily, and instinctively slid his cup closer to himself, worried that Sam had seen him spiking his morning coffee.

"Looks like it's been going on for a couple of months." Sam stared at the screen,"It says here that the widow of one of the victims in Springfield Ma. told the authorities they had been sent free tickets, and when they were at the concert, her husband just got up out of his seat, ran outside and was hit by a car."

"Wow, that must've been a pretty bad concert," Dean joked. Sam shot him a disapproving look. Clearing his throat, he started over again. "What concert was it?"

"Maestro Alexi presents Pia Adora."

"A spin jockey?"

Sam sighed. "That's spin doctor or disc jockey. But no, a real Maestro, like kind that conducts an orchestra." Sam started to type furiously. "And it looks like in every city they've played there's been untimely deaths"

"Well, I guess we're going to have to check out this concert!" Dean turned and dramatically exited the kitchen "Be sure to pack your OPERA glasses!"

Sam smiled and shook his head as he returned to the computer.

(...)

Sam and Dean stood at the back of the theatre, watching the performance. "What do you think?" Dean asked his brother, "Siren?" Sam shook his head. "Banshee?"

"You know what banshees look like," Sam answered, studying the pair onstage carefully, "That doesn't look like any banshee I've ever seen."

Pia Adora stood on the stage, confidently singing. She was about Sam's age, cute, petite, and shapely. Donning a long, blue silk gown, she sang with a generosity of spirit. The audience was transfixed on her every note as she effortlessly ran through trills and reached notes that thrilled them to their very core.

Maestro Alexi, handsome and charismatic, was somewhat older, his jet black hair greying slightly on the sides. Dressed in the obligatory tuxedo and tails, he had an air of sophistication as he sat behind a grand piano, playing with one hand, and conducting a small group of musicians with the other.

As the applause died down, Pia thanked the audience. "I am now going to sing a new song that Maestro Alexi composed just for...all of you!" She announced, gesturing to the audience.

Sam instinctively straightened up. This could be the moment he and his brother had been waiting for. They scanned the room intently.

The music began, and Pia looked at the Maestro for her cue. Under his direction, she began to sing.

"If your life is full of could have beens,

Don't stop to wonder why,

You can realize all your dreams,

If you spread your wings and fly..."

No sooner had those words left her lips when a portly man rose from his seat and headed for the exit, huffing as he pushed past the boys.

Dean followed the man outside, but he was nowhere in sight. Sam stepped out of the theatre right behind him. "I would have sworn he came out here," a baffled Dean told his brother. Suddenly, there was a loud scream, and he turned around just in time to see a woman pointing upwards. Before they could look up, something large and heavy fell to the ground with a loud thud, just missing them. "Whoa!" Dean exclaimed unintentionally.

It was the man they had been chasing. Instead of going outside, he had climbed the stairs to the rooftop and jumped. Dean looked away regretfully, angry with himself because he hadn't been able to save the man.

As police arrived, they quickly hid their faces and stepped back into the gathering crowd. "Do you think they're in it together?" Dean asked his brother.

"Hard to tell," mused Sam.

"And why weren't we affected by the music?" Continued Dean, "or everyone in the audience, for that matter?"

"She said the Maestro wrote the song, and he was definitely the one in charge." Thought Sam out loud, "As far as I can figure, these songs were fashioned explicitly for the victim..."

A crackly voice came through a policeman's walk-in-talkie,"We have another jumper, 5th and Main" the female dispatcher said.

Sam looked up at the street sign above him. It read 6th and Main. "Victims..." He corrected himself, "I think she's just a pawn, just another instrument."

"Me too," Agreed Dean. He knew what had to be done. "Let's go." They headed back into the theatre as two police cars raced down the road, sirens wailing. Dean watched as they reached the corner, one going straight and the other turning right. "It's going to be a long night."

Maestro Alexi gathered his music and counted out four large bills, handing them to the violinist. She batted her eyes, "Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you," she flirted with him. He smiled and dramatically kissed her hand, thanking her with a lingering good bye pat on her back. As he headed toward the dressing rooms, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. His smile faded and his blood turned cold. Just outside his door were two men, guns drawn, braced to enter. The Maestro quickly backed away.

Sam and Dean burst into Dressing room A, barely turning the door handle. They stood there, guns pointed, one covering the right side of the room, the other, the left, but were met with only a blowing curtain across an empty room. Dean quickly kicked open the bathroom door, and aimed his revolver, prepared for confrontation, only to come out again with a quick shake of his head, signalling to Sam that there was no one inside. Sam indicated outside with his eyes. There were no words spoken. They had worked together so long, each knew exactly what the other meant with one quick glance. Dean pocketed his gun, and they went next door.

Dean knocked on dressing room door B.

"Who is it?" Asked a female voice on the other side.

"We're um...friends of Maestro Alexi, just wanted to catch up with him," lied Dean,"is he here?"

Pia opened the door slightly, still in the dress she wore onstage. Quick to smile, she cheerfully answered, "No, he's next door," as she casually leaned on the doorframe. Her long, black hair was down, and she held a hairbrush in her hand.

Sam quickly tucked his gun behind his back.

"He's not there, we've already checked," Dean told her. "there's no sign of him."

"That's why we thought he might be with you," Added Sam.

"That's funny, he should be there..." She scowled and ran over to the window looking for Maestro Alexi's Mustang. The boys followed her into the room, closing the door behind them.

"The car's gone!" She exclaimed, looking vainly down the street. "What the...?" puzzled, she dropped the hairbrush, picked up her phone and dialled his number.

There was a knock on the door, and Dean, being right there, opened it. The stage manager stuck his head into the room. "We're wrapping up, you have 10 minutes." He announced.

"OK, thank you...," Pia hung up the phone, obviously distracted, "The Maestro should be here...He wouldn't have left without me..."she explained to the boys, as she tried to make sense of it all. She pressed redial on her phone, but it went directly to voicemail. "where can he be?" she tried hard not to panic.

Sam and Dean looked at one another, knowingly "What hotel are you staying at? We could give you a ride," Dean suggested, hoping to catch Alexi there.

"I...don't know," she said, shaking her head, "we came straight here." She picked up her phone for the third time, and pressed the button.

Alexi habitually glanced down at the phone as it started to ring, knowing already who it was calling him. He reached over and turned it off as the sleek, black Mustang raced down the road.

"Voicemail." She said, disappointed. Suddenly, remembering her manners, she looked at Sam and Dean,"I'm sorry, you'll have to catch-up with The Maestro another day, I don't know what could have happened, maybe if you give me your name and phone number, I can get him to call you back?"

"That's ok, we're not in town that long," Sam explained.

"Besides, it's better as a surprise " Quipped Dean. He opened the door for a hasty exit, "Thanks, anyways..."

Sam glanced at the forlorn girl picking up her phone again as he closed the door. "You know, Dean," He started, ignoring the audacious look from his brother.

"No, no, no!" Said Dean, sternly "Not again..." Dean quickened his pace towards the car.

"But this is most likely our fault." Sam said, reluctantly following him out the backstage door.

"I don't care if it IS our fault, you've got to stop taking in strays all the time. It never ends well." Chastised Dean as he reached the Impala. "Besides, how sure are you that she's not responsible for causing all of this?"

"Because, Dean, they would have run off together." Sam reasoned. "And if you really thought that, you would never have let her go." He hesitated before getting into the car. Something caught the corner of his eye.

The stage manager opened the backstage door, and Pia thanked him as she stepped out, still in her gown, carrying only her coat and her makeup bag. Quickly looking around, she took out her phone and pressed redial for the umpteenth time. Without bothering to put it to her ear, she hung up and sat down on the top step. Heaving a heavy sigh, she stared at the phone intently, as if that would make it ring. The cold wind blew through her hair, but it passed by, unnoticed.

Sam closed the Impala door, and headed back across the street.

"Sam, No!" Dean called after him, as he, too jumped out of the car, "Sam!" He called out, but Sam was already too far away to hear him, or was purposely ignoring him. Dean flailed his fists in the air in frustration, until he banged them down on the roof of the car, exasperated.

Sam came up to Pia, and bent down, trying to meet her eyes. "Hey," he said, gently.

Pia looked up, and quickly wiped a tear from her eye, "Hey."

Sam nodded to the phone, still clasped in her hand, "Nothing yet?"

"No," She answered, "I don't know what could have happened...he's never done this before." She reasoned to herself, "Maybe I did something wrong, maybe he's trying to punish me?"

"Look...Why don't you come along with us?" Sam offered, breaking the awkward silence between them, "No funny business..."

Pia looked down the road again, "I...I can't."

"It doesn't look like he's coming back any time soon..." Sam said, following her gaze, "You can't stay out here all night..."

Pia regarded Sam, crouched down in front of her. He seemed genuine. She sighed as she looked down the empty road one more time, and then back at Sam. What choice did she have? The wind blew by again, and this time, Pia felt its' icy grasp and shuddered. Besides, she had no money with her, Alexi always took care of the finances. "O...OK," she agreed, cautiously, "Where to?" She was almost afraid to ask.

"Our motel's just down the road..." He almost expected her to balk, but she seemed to take it in stride.

Pia showed no emotion except raising an eyebrow, "And your...friend?" She looked past him at Dean, still standing by the car. " the one that looks like Michael Buble?"

"Michael...oh," Sam almost laughed,"He's my brother, and he...he's ok with it."

Pia wasn't quite convinced, something in his voice told her this wasn't the brother's idea, but decided not to press the issue. "OK. No funny business." She reiterated as she got up, putting on her coat, and giving one final look down the road for the black Mustang before following him to the car. "Damn, I was REALLY hoping you two were a couple..." she muttered to herself.

Sam smiled, at least she still had a sense of humour, he thought to himself as they approached Dean. "By the way, my name's Sam Winchester." He told her as he offered his hand.

Pia laughed slightly when she realized she had just accepted an offer from someone whose name she didn't even know, "I'm Pia." She replied, as his gigantic hand enveloped hers.

"And this is my brother, Dean,"

Dean's head was still buried in his arms as he looked up, hearing his name. "Hi," he said, gruffly, still miffed with his brother. He quickly sat back down at the drivers wheel.

Sam shrugged as he opened the rear car door for Pia.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean opened the front door of the motel, stomped in, and would have slammed it had Sam not caught it first, letting Pia in. She couldn't help but look around, breathing a sigh of relief when she saw that the room was still tidy, as she really didn't know what to expect, boys being boys and all. The two double beds were still made, but she suspected it was more because they had been out, rather than because of their housekeeping skills. The room was sparsely furnished, and the only thing on the table was an open laptop. Apart from two small duffle bags laying at the foot of each bed, there was no luggage to speak of. Dean sat on the bed at the far end of the room, took a flask out of his jacket pocket, and with a long swig lay back against the headboard. Pia tugged at Sam's sleeve and he bent over as she whispered something in his ear. "Sure, help yourself," he answered, "Dean, do you need to use the bathroom?" His brother shook his head while he continued to stare at the TV, randomly switching the channels with the remote. "It's all yours." Sam told Pia.

"Thanks!" She replied, as she took off her coat and grabbed her makeup bag. She stopped suddenly before she went in. "Oh," She turned to Sam and held up her gown, "This is all I have..."

"Here," Sam said as he opened up his duffle bag and threw her a plaid shirt. "It's clean," he assured her.

She gave him a look of relief, "Thanks." She reiterated as she went into the bathroom. Seconds later they could hear the sound of water running.

"So? Are you going to keep your new pet?" Dean said facetiously as he took another swig. He continued to stare at the TV and changing channels aimlessly.

"Oh," Sam replied pointedly, "So you're NOT giving me the silent treatment." He sat on his bed facing his brother.

"How else am I going to ask you what you plan to do with her?"

"I don't know...just be nice?"

"Just give her a bus ticket and send her home."

"It doesn't look like she has a home, Dean. As far as I can tell they're always on the road travelling from town to town." Sam reminded his brother, "You remember what that was like."

"Well you're not bringing her back to OUR home. Besides, it's probably not up to her highness' five star hotel standards."

"Come on, Dean," Sam tried to reason. Then he had an inspiration, "Look, Alexi will be looking for her sooner or later, she could lead us right to him."

Dean's eyes narrowed, "That wasn't your plan," he scoffed, "You just thought of that right now."

Sam was caught. "Ok." He admitted, "But you have to agree, it's not a bad plan."

Dean contemplated the idea for a moment, "Yeah, well, what if she leads him right to US?" He argued.

"She won't." Sam assured him. He had always prided himself for being a good judge of character.

Pia sat on the side of the bathtub, and poured liquid from the mini bottle of bubble bath that she kept in her makeup case. As the water frothed, she undressed and hung her gown on the towel rack. She stepped into the tub while it was still filling, and began to cry as the bubbles encompassed her. She washed away her tears with the warm water until she finally submerged herself with a frustrated, muffled scream.

Sam sat at the laptop. "I've been looking into Alexi, "He told his brother "Know what? That's not his real name, it's Sven."

Dean seemed uninterested, "So?" He asked, not bothering to look at Sam.

"Don't you get it?" Sam adamantly asked, "Sven...like in Svengali?"

"Who?"

"Svengali was the story of an infamous hypnotist from the late 19th century." Sam continued, "Some have even argued that the story originated in Russia, and was actually about Rasputin."

"19th century? You mean the century before the last one? How's that possible? He doesn't look a day over 45."

"I don't know. It could be any number of things. Witchcraft, crossroad demon, cursed object, but hypnosis explains how he controls the victims. The music hypnotizes them into a trance like state, and they just follow the suggestions in the song."

They abruptly stopped their conversation as Pia emerged from the bathroom, wearing Sam's shirt. Clearly oversized, it hung down to her knees. "Thanks, I needed that," she said, still drying her hair with a towel.

Sam took a pillow from his bed. "You can sleep here." He indicated to the mattress as he tossed the pillow on the ground between the two beds.

"Oh, no, I couldn't..." She protested.

"That's ok," he assured her as he took the extra blanket from the end of the bed and folded it on the floor. "I've slept on worse."

Dean let out a disapproving snort as he turned his attention back to the television.

(...)

The black Impala pulled up to the Bunker, and Dean got out, carrying a large paper bag. Pia opened the rear door, and as she stepped out, wondered why they were in the middle of nowhere, and additionally, why they were heading toward what looked like a sewer with a door.

"Wow!" Pia exclaimed as she entered the Bunker, her voice echoing in the enormous foyer. She leaned over the railing, curiously measuring the distance to the floor before she followed Sam down the stairs.

A dark haired man, a wearing suit under a trench coat entered the room from the other side. "This is Cas," Sam introduced, "Cas, this is Pia Adora."

"Hello," Cas said, politely.

"Hi!" Pia replied. She was suddenly aware that Cas was staring at her gown. "I guess I'm a little overdressed..."

"C'mon, I'll get you something to wear." Sam offered as they headed down the same hallway Cas had appeared from.

"A kitchen!" She exclaimed, as they turned a corner, "I never get to cook anything," Sam looked at her quizzically, "Alexi says only low class motels have kitchens," She explained, "so we're always eating out." Sam smiled to himself as she followed him, talking excitedly, "I LOVE to bake cookies, would it be alright if I made some cookies?"

Cas turned to Dean when they were out of sight, "Where did she come from?"

Dean shrugged, "Another one of Sam's projects." He took a six-pack out from the grocery bag.

"I don't know if it's such a good idea," Cas pointed out "the more people that know about this place...We have to be careful."

Dean raised his eyebrows, "I know, right?" He agreed, "Thank you!" he opened a beer and downed it victoriously.

Sam came back into the room, alone. "She's settling in," he informed the others as he walked over to the table, grabbed a beer, and sat down. "Oh, by the way, she wants to bake cookies."

"Yeah, I heard," Dean said, opening another beer, "All of Kansas heard...and a few people over in Oklahoma."

Cas frowned, "Sam, I don't think..."

"He's not going to listen to you," Dean interrupted, "He doesn't even listen to his own brother."

"I still think this is the best way to catch Alexi," Sam was adamant, "You have a better idea?"

"You're using her as bait?" Questioned Cas, surprised at Sam's unexpected duplicity.

"Not originally, " interjected Dean, "it was an AFTERTHOUGHT."

Pia shuffled in, almost drowning in a pair of coveralls. "This is a little big," She had rolled up the legs, and was now folding the sleeves, "You have anything in a size 10?" She joked.

"There's scissors in the kitchen," Sam suggested, "feel free to adjust them any way you want."

"Maybe later," she said as she finished rolling her sleeve, "How about showing me around?"

"Yeah, sure," Sam said, as he got up, "This way," he escorted her toward the library, as Dean resentfully cracked open another beer.

(...)

"And this is the weapons room," Sam said, flicking the light switch, and waiting for her reaction.

Pia stood, wide-eyed, at the doorway, staring at the arsenal displayed on the walls of the large room. "Holy COW...Why do you have so many weapons?" She asked, tentatively as she gingerly touched a semi-automatic rifle.

"We're hunters," Sam explained, ready for the inevitable next question.

"What kind of hunter needs...Oh, "She deduced, "You're bounty hunters?"

Sam was caught off guard, "Ummm, yeah, we're bounty hunters" a little white lie was better than the truth right now.

"Were you...after Alexi?" She suddenly realized, "Is that why he left me?"

"Most likely...I'm sorry,"

Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. "Is that why you brought me here?" She challenged, "I told you, I don't know where he is!"

Sam stopped her as she headed toward the door, "No, no," he started, "It's just that you were all alone, and I..."

"Felt sorry for me?" She angrily finished his sentence for him. "I can take care of myself." She shook her arm free from his grip.

"I felt bad, because this was all our fault," he blurted out just as she reached the door. He could see her back relax slightly as she turned back toward him.

"I always knew his past would catch up to him, sooner or later," she quietly conceded, "It is what it is...do I really want to know what he did?"

Sam tried to break it to her gently, "He hurt some people."

"That sounds about right." She said, dryly.

"So...we're good?"

"No, you were right about this all being your fault..."She teased, getting used to the idea, "you OWE me, big time!"

"I'll see what I can do to make it up to you." Sam promised as they left the room.

(...)

The next morning, Sam, Cas and Pia sat in the kitchen, having breakfast. "Cereal?" Sam offered Pia.

Pia shook her head. "Lactose intolerant...Cereal's not so fun dry." She turned to Castiel, "So what does Cas stand for?" Pia asked, "Cassidy? Castle? Cassiopeia? Ooooh, I like that one..."

Cas pondered for a moment, "Close, it's Castiel"

"Castiel..." She repeated, "That's a cool name! Just Castiel? Like Cher?"

"Just Castiel. What about you?" He asked "Is Pia Adora your real name, or a stage name?"

"Well, Pia was the only name I had when I was in the orphanage," She reflected.

"Like Cher?"

She smiled, "Yeah, just like Cher. And Alexi came up with Adora. I guess he had a crush on Pia Zadora or something."

"Pia Zadora?"

"She was a movie star back in the 70's, B movies, mostly." She could see that Cas had no idea who she meant, "You should check her out, she was REALLY cute!" She handed him the box of cereal, "Want some?"

"No, thanks," Castiel shook his head slightly, "I don't eat."

She paused to look at him, curiously. "Yeah, I can't hold anything down in the morning, either." She confessed.

Dean came in, bedraggled, clearly suffering from a hangover. He took a bottle of juice from the refrigerator and started to shake it. Pia couldn't help but notice, "is that...sparkling?" She inquired.

"Uh huh," He really didn't feel like discussing his beverage choices with her.

"No, I mean," She tried to get his attention, "it's SPARKLING, right?"

"Yeah," Said Dean, annoyed. He read the label to her flippantly, "Sparkling, effervescent, refreshing." He continued to shake the bottle.

Pia looked at Sam, who had been watching the exchange, bemused, and threw her hands up in the air, as if to say she tried. As she stomped out of the room, she heard the bottle-cap open, and an inevitable "Aaargh" as the carbonated liquid sprayed all over Dean's shirt. She couldn't help but grin, while Sam laughed heartily at his brother.

(...)

Sam stuck his head into Pia's room with a quick knock. "Don't worry about Dean, he'll come around."

Pia was sitting cross-legged on the bed. "That's OK," She replied, closing the book she had picked up from the library, "I'm not planning on sticking around that long."

Sam pulled a chair in front of her and straddled the back, "Don't let him chase you away," he advised, "you're welcome to stay here as long as you need."

"Thanks, I appreciate all you've done for me, really..." She began, "but I'll be out of your hair as soon as I hear from Alexi..."

"Pia," Sam decided to ask her something that had been concerning him all day, "yesterday you mentioned that maybe Alexi was...punishing you?" He studied Pia's surprised look, "What did you mean by that?"

"Oh," She stammered,"that was nothing...I was...It was like...worst case scenario...you know..."

His gaze never waned, "Pia," He said, gently.

Pia stayed silent as she got up off the bed, worried that she had divulged too much.

Sam pressed on, "Y' know, if you wanna talk..."

"No...I'm OK" She lied.

Sam wouldn't let go of the subject "Are you?"

"Yeah." she turned away, but could still feel his intense gaze as he got up off the chair. "Look, I've been down this road before, Sam. This isn't new." She said defensively "No one is perfect. If they're not an alcoholic, they're a stressed out workaholic, or they're emotionally abusive, or just...a dick. I always got out of relationships when it became too much to handle...virtually unscathed."

"How?"

"I just left. I left everything behind, and just...left."

"So why don't..."

"You don't think I haven't? Whenever I try to leave, I vow I'll never see him again, But he always finds me, and convinces me to come back." She sighed and continued, "He tells me lies, he tells me that it'll never happen again..." Sam raised his eyebrows, "Yeah, I'm sceptical too, but I can't expect you to understand...It's like an addiction." She struggled to explain, "I look into his eyes, and he's SO sincere...but a week, a day, a month later, it happens again. And I'm always taken by surprise." Pia could feel the frustration mounting, "Why am I ALWAYS taken by surprise?

"It's his eyes," Sam tried to explain, "that's his superpower, he hypnotizes you."

"No." She said, adamantly, "I don't even HAVE to look in his eyes, I'll still believe him, because I WANT to believe him...I just want everything to be good again..."She shook her head, and contemplated, "And when it's good, it's very very good... "

"And when it's bad?"

"It sucks." She admitted. "But sometimes I think...". She hesitated, worried she was revealing too much.

"Sometimes?..." Sam encouraged her to continue.

She squeezed her eyes tight, and reluctantly revealed something she never had the courage to admit, even to herself... "Sometimes..." She started softly, as if saying it louder would somehow jinx it..."I think that if it wasn't for this...flaw...he wouldn't be with me at all."

"This is no 'little flaw', Pia, and once it starts, it'll keep getting worse." Sam held her by the shoulders, and tried to make eye contact. "That's what happens in an abusive relationship."

Pia refused to look at him..."he just wants me to succeed...and sometimes I screw things up..."

"Then what?" Sam asked, incensed, " He...punishes you? That's so outrageous Pia, you have to know that it's wrong! He's USING you!"

"He does it because he cares about me!" She argued. "Besides, who's to say it would be any better with someone else? What if it's worse? I can REALLY pick 'em." She turned away, and uttered over her shoulder, "We've been together for so long, Sam. It's the Devil I know." and left the room.


	3. Chapter 3

There was a gust of wind and a flutter of wings, and the angel Zachariah suddenly appeared. Dressed in a blue suit, he looked more milquetoast than his nefarious self. Alexi looked out the window of his hotel room, not relishing the task of explaining to him what had transpired.

"Where is she?" Zachariah asked.

"I don't know," Alexi answered, "I had to get out of there, fast. I didn't have time to take her with me."

"You LOST her?" Zachariah was incensed. "The tickets have already been sent out!"

"Well, you'll just have to cancel them, or do it yourself,"

"I can't exactly go smiting people Willy nilly..."Said Zachariah, sarcastically, "people will talk."

"I'm laying low for a while, " Alexi said, pointedly, "I've got hunters on my tail."

"That's not our deal," Zachariah insisted, "I give you all my enemies' fears and secrets, and you, in turn, destroy them, when and where I want." He elaborated, "Then, I will take care of your problems, and grant you eternal youth."

"Yeah, well, where were you 8 years ago?"

"Even angels can run into trouble," Zachariah said, mootly. He changed the subject back. "So what you're telling me, is that you don't even know if she's dead or alive."

"No, I don't." Alexi admitted. "She stopped calling. Can't you find her?"

"No. She's either warded, or dead." Zachariah had a thought, "And, if she's warded, that could mean she's with the Winchesters."

"The Winchesters?"

"I've dealt with them before. They work with the angel Castiel." Zachariah explained, "Castiel even went as far as to burn a sigil into their ribs so no angel can find them."

"So I guess that means you don't know where they are, either."

"Nope."

Alexi pondered for a minute, "I'll call her before the next concert." He conceded.

(...)

Pia went into the weapons room and flicked the light switch on. She had spent all afternoon adjusting the coveralls into shorts, and decided to do some exploring. Ignoring all the guns, she went, instead, directly to the assortment of swords on the back wall, smiling as she found the one she was looking for. She reverently took it down from the wall with both hands, and removed it from its' sheath. Long and thin, it was not as sharp as a samurai sword, but just as lethal. It gleamed in her hand as she held it by the the hilt, and took two practice swipes, in a figure eight, on each side of her body, testing the weight of the sword as it rushed past her ear.

Sam wandered through the hallway, wondering where the music was coming from. He stopped outside the weapons room, and looked through the doorway. Pia had turned on the radio, and was performing a dance. With the sword spinning high above her head, flashing as it spun first on one hand, and then the other, she danced with a degree of dexterity and grace that Sam never suspected she possessed.

Castiel appeared beside him. "She's not helpless, you know." He said, studying her carefully, "It takes years of training to do something like that...without stabbing your eyes out..."

Sam watched his friend go back to his room, and turned his attention back to Pia, who seemed to have been oblivious to both of them. Sam realized that what she was doing was not so much a dance, but an intricate kata, and wondered to himself what other secrets she held.

As the song ended, he strolled back up the hallway. Pia turned off the radio, and placed the sword back on the wall. Suddenly her telephone rang. She picked it up, read the name displayed, and looked around to make sure no one could hear. "Maestro! Where are you?" She whispered.

(...)

It was all Pia could do not to run down the hallway into the war room where Sam and Dean sat.

"Hey guys! You know...Thanks for everything," She announced, "But I think I'm going to go home."

"I thought you didn't have a home." Sam said.

"Yeah, well...I've got friends," She lied, "It's their home, really. They said I could stay with them for a while."

"Where do they live?"

"Um...Gary Indiana. They're leaving a ticket for me at the bus station, can you give me a ride?"

"Sure." Sam assured her.

She backed out of the room, "Thanks! I've got to go pack," She said, forgetting she had nothing really to pack.

Dean casually took a drink of his beer as he watched her exit, "She's lying, you know."

"I know." Sam acknowledged.

Dean scoffed, "You didn't expect her to give up Alexi just like that, did you?"

"I would have been disappointed if she did." He looked down the hallway. "When do you think she expects us to go?" He wondered aloud.

(...)

The next morning, Pia appeared at the bus station entrance, waving a ticket folder in her hand. "I've got it!" She called out as she ran toward the boys.

"So I guess this is goodbye?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, thanks again for everything," she hugged him, fondly, and stopped short when she faced Dean, offering her hand instead. He shook her tiny hand, begrudgingly.

"Give me your phone," Sam entered in his phone number. "If you need anything, give me a call. Anything at all." He insisted.

"I will," She promised, and went up on her tip-toes to hug him again.

She turned around to wave goodbye one last time before she disappeared back into the bus station. Walking through the station and out the other side, she got into a black mustang parked in the back. "What are you wearing?" Alexi asked with distain, glancing at her coveralls.

Pia looked at him, hurt, "I made it." She told him, "It wasn't like I had a choice..." Reminding him with a quick rustle of the grocery bag containing her gown.

Alexi regarded her sullen look, "What now?" He asked.

She looked at him with tears in her eyes, "You LEFT me there!" She exclaimed.

"I know. They were after me, not you," He lied, "And I didn't want to put you in danger."

Somewhat mollified, Pia saw the bus leave the station, and watched the Impala pulling in behind it. It wasn't disappointment in the boys' betrayal that she felt, but rather the reinforcement of her belief that nothing ever came for free.

"When we get to the hotel, I want you to wash up and change your clothes. We're going to a function." Alexi informed her. "Were you followed?"

Pia shook her head, looked at the empty ticket folder in her hand and consequently threw it into the garbage.

"Good." Alexi started the car, and turned in the opposite direction.

(...)

Pia sat alone on the couch as Alexi circulated around the room. Her legs were tucked under her black taffeta dress, and she slowly nursed a drink as a man approached her. "Aren't you Pia Adora?" He asked. She smiled and nodded slightly. "I saw you last month, in Phoenix! You were wonderful! Do you mind if I sit down?"

Pia was always uncomfortable receiving accolades. "I'm sorry, this seat is taken," she told the man. Disappointed, he moved on.

Truth be told, she was hoping Alexi would come back and sit with her. Ever charming and engaging, she watched him regaling the women at the bar with fascinating stories of musical conquests. Pia saw Alexi lean toward a blonde, whispering in her ear, making yet another conquest of his own. True to form, Pia didn't have to wait long before he called her over to him. "Take a cab, and meet me back at the hotel," he said, as he passed her a room card, and handed her two twenty dollar bills from his wallet. She looked over at the expectant blonde waiting at the bar, feeling a pang of jealousy as she took the card and money from his hand. Alexi went back to the blonde, picked up his coat, and escorted her outside as she giggled, his arm holding tightly to her waist.

Pia couldn't shake the feeling of melancholy as she entered the dark, empty hotel suite. She would not have even bothered flicking on the lights had she not been afraid of the dark. She found herself wondering if he and the blonde kissed, wondering if, were she thin and beautiful, would he have stayed with her. Wondering why she even came back in the first place. Pia sat down at the grand piano, and ran her finger lightly across the keys. Inspired, she took a deep breath, and began to play Chopin's prelude in C minor. Alexi had instructed her enough to be able to play most classics, but her interpretations were more hesitant than fluid. Nevertheless, it was a welcome distraction to the problem at hand. Several minutes later, tired of picking through the tune, she lay on the couch, faced the door, and waited for Alexi to come home.

(...)

When Alexi returned to the suite, he found Pia asleep on the couch. He sat down beside her, and gently pulled the blanket over her shoulders. She opened her eyes and smiled when she saw him looking down at her. "I guess I fell asleep," She admitted. "It's been a long day."

"That it has," Alexi agreed, "Boy, am I glad to be home!"

"You are?" She asked him, hopefully.

"Yeah, I have a lot of work to do." He said, as he sat down at the piano and started to play, not noticing her look of disappointment.

Pia shrugged it off, "What are you working on?"

"It's a very special song, for you to sing," he told her, with a twinkle in his eye, "most of the audience tomorrow are in the Armed Forces. It's Veteran's day."

Pia leaned on the grand piano, listening to Alexi with her head cupped in her hands. "I'll never play like you, Maestro," she sighed.

"Maybe if you practiced more,"

"Not even if I practiced for a hundred years!" She said, modestly, "I guess you've been playing since you were a child?"

"Nah," He grinned, "Only for about a hundred years."

Pia gigged, thinking he was joking.

Alexi played a chord, "Sing for me."

Pia recognized the intro. "Aren't you sick of this song by now?" She asked, "You have me sing this at least once a week."

"I never tire of this song," He persisted, "when you sing it."

She began to sing. "What am I to you?

What are you to me?

Why do I follow you?

I don't want to break free"

As she sang to him, a warm sense of affection flooded her soul. The words never rang truer.

"Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide,

When I look in your eyes, I'm paralyzed,

Beg for mercy, is all I can do,

When I give up my heart to you.

Defenceless, it's a game without a rule,

Defenceless, they don't teach you this in school

Defenceless, tell me what am I to do?

Defenceless, I'm defenceless against you."

"Beautiful," Complimented Alexi, "As always."

Pia blushed in spite of herself. He indicated for her to sit beside him on the piano bench.

"Although...you did rush the second stanza a bit," He turned on the metronome. "Go through it in your head..." Tick-tock, Tick-tock, went the pendulum. "So..." Alexi continued when he was sure she was mesmerized, "tell me about the Winchesters."

"There's not much to tell," Pia was transfixed by the metronome going back and forth.

"You mean to tell me you were with them for the better part of a week, and you don't have anything to say?" He prompted. "Nothing?"

"They live in some sort of bunker..."

Now he was getting somewhere, "Where?"

"Somewhere in Kansas..."

Alexi angrily got up, knocking over the metronome. "I KNOW that."

Pia came out of her trance, it took her a moment to collect her wits about her. "Well, it's not like I drove there myself," she declared.

Alexi was taken aback. "Hey! Where did that attitude come from?" He commented, "The Winchesters?" She stayed silent. "They're dangerous, Pia. You have no idea what they are," Alexi warned, "They're hunters."

"I know. They told me." Pia answered, "They're bounty hunters, because you have a price on your head." She was genuinely afraid for him.

"They're not bounty hunters, Pia. They're HUNTERS." He stressed. "They hunt people with special abilities, like me, and they...kill them."

Pia looked at him doubtfully, "No...you're wrong. They're not like that." She tried to make sense of what he told her "They've always been nice to me..."

"Yeah? Why do you think that is?" Alexi pointed out, "why do you think they've been nice to you? Do you really think it's because they LIKE you?" She shook her head in disbelief. "They're USING you to get to me."

"That's not true."

"I'm telling you the truth." He reiterated.

It was all starting to sound too familiar. "And...What about you?" Pia asked, quietly.

"What do you mean?" He sat on the armchair in front of her and cocked his head expectantly, as if to dare her to speak her mind.

She was too riled up to notice. "What am I to you? Why are we together?" finally voicing something she had been wondering for years, "You can be with anyone. Why not someone prettier, or younger...or taller...thinner...the list goes on."

Alexi sat back on the armchair and took a deep breath. Then he told her something that he never expected to divulge, "When you sing, people listen. You have a gift."

"So?"

"So, do you remember when I first met you?" He reached for her hand.

"Yes...I was busking at the train terminal..." Pia let her guard down and smiled at the long lost memory, "I would turn the tape recorder on, and just sit there, close my eyes, and sing. For hours." She took his hand and sat on the floor beside him.

"And even then, people would gather around and listen." He reminded her, "you drew quite a crowd."

"Did I?" She mused, "I never noticed."

"Well, I did." Alexi recounted, "And that's what attracted me to you in the first place, there was no ego, no hidden agenda, you just wanted to sing," Alexi leaned forward, giving her a warm smile.

Pia felt her heart leap. She loved it when he smiled, especially when he was smiling at her. It had been so long since she had seen him pleased, everything was so serious lately. When she looked up into his deep blue eyes, she could see fireworks. Golden flecks that caught the light, and made them dance. It was hypnotic. She snapped back to reality, suddenly remembering what Sam had said to her. Hypnotic...

Pia tried to kiss him on the lips, but he pulled back. "You know how I feel about that..." He chided her.

Crestfallen, Pia looked at the ground. "I'm sorry..."

Alexi tenderly raised her chin to look at him, "You are my Muse." He assured her.

She looked into his eyes and uttered the second part of the phrase he taught her to say, "And you are my Maestro." She answered.

"Come to bed." He said affectionately, as he led Pia into her bedroom.


	4. Chapter 4

Alexi sat at the grand piano, composing, his shirt unbuttoned. He felt a gust of wind, heard a rustle of wings, and Zachariah appeared, sitting at the table. "I'm almost done orchestrating tomorrow's piece," Alexi informed him.

"I'm not so much concerned about the piece," Zachariah said, "What have you learned about the Winchesters?"

"She doesn't seem to know anything."

"Have you tried..."

"Yes," he assured the angel, "twice."

"Hey, it's your neck on the line, not mine," Zachariah reminded him, "I suggest you find them before they find you,"

"And how do you propose I do that?"

"I'm glad you asked..." Zachariah leaned forward, "I have a plan that can get you what you need, and give me what I want."

Pia awoke to voices in the living room. The bed squeaked slightly as she sat up and reached for her clothes. Before she had a chance to put them on, Alexi appeared in the doorway. "You're not done yet." He informed her. She couldn't quite grasp what he meant, until a stranger suddenly appeared next to him. She froze. It was all she could do to instinctively pull the bed sheet tighter around her body. "This is Zachariah. He wanted to meet you." There was a lump in her throat, and tears welled up in her eyes when she realized what was expected of her. She looked at Alexi helplessly for some sort of reprieve, but there was none. She reluctantly dropped the sheet and forced a smile as Zachariah entered the bedroom. "I'll leave you two alone to get acquainted." Alexi said as he went back into the living room.

(...)

Zachariah walked across the living room, tucking his shirt over his bulbous belly and into his pants.

"I trust everything went well," Alexi said, as he got up from the piano.

"It's been a long, long time!" Zachariah commented, "I dare say a few millennia..." he disclosed as he elbowed Alexi jovially.

"Maybe you should use the door, this time," he suggested.

"Oh, yes," Zachariah put his tie back on, picked up his suit jacket, and headed for the door, humming gleefully. He glanced over at her bedroom door. "The rest is up to you." He advised.

Pia pretended to be asleep until she heard Zachariah leaving. She quickly grabbed her t-shirt and shorts, and threw them on before she got to the living room. Alexi was just closing the front door.

"I hate it."

Alexi stiffened, still facing the door. "What?" His voice was sharp.

Pia knew she had gone too far, but it was too late to turn back now. She chose her words carefully. "I hate it, " She started, nervously, "When you whore me out to your f..friends." Quickly finishing her sentence with substantially less bravado than when she had started.

Alexi turned around, regarding the frightened, angry girl in front of him. His smile had disappeared, replaced by a stern look that transformed his face from amicable to frighteningly dangerous instantaneously. "I didn't 'whore you out'," he started, curtly. "You make it sound like I'm a pimp. Is that what I am to you? After all I've done for you?" Wide eyed with fear, Pia shook her head emphatically. "I'm just looking out for you...Zachariah has power, more power than you could possibly imagine, and if he likes you..." Pia winced as Alexi raised his hand, but relaxed when he merely brushed the hair from her face, only bring it back with a hard backhand against her cheek. Startled, Pia fell to the ground, her hand instinctively covering her face. She scrambled away from him, and found herself trapped in a corner. "Don't EVER question my methods again." He said, menacingly, removing his belt.

(...)

Sam stirred in his bed as the phone rang. He glanced at the alarm clock. It was 3:00. Half-awake he answered the call. "Hello?" There was silence on the other end. He rubbed his eyes and tried again, "Hello?"

There was a quiet gasp, "Sam?" A small voice said.

"Pia?" Sam was awake, now, "Are you alright?" All he could hear was quiet sobbing.

"Oh, God, Sam," Pia implored, "Please come and get me..."

"Did Alexi hurt you?"

"You were right, Sam," She begged, "please, please, please come and get me!"

"Where are you?"

"Tulsa...," Cowering between the nightstand and her bed, she looked about making sure she wasn't overheard, "We...we're rehearsing at the Arts Centre tomorrow afternoon." she whispered.

"We'll be there." He assured her.

As Pia hung up, she thought she heard a door close. She held her breath, trying not to make a sound, but all was quiet.

(...)

Pia stirred slightly when the alarm rang. Two short rings. Persistently. She reached over stiffly and unhooked the receiver. It took all her strength to sit up and look at the clock. It read 8:00. Four hours sleep, she thought to herself, not nearly enough.

She wrapped the white hotel housecoat around herself and made her way to the living room. Alexi had ordered breakfast from room service and was arranging it on the table. "Good morning," he said, as if nothing had happened the night before, "Come and sit down." He gestured across the table from him with a covered plate.

"I'm not hungry," She answered. Her voice, hoarse from crying.

"Sit down." He said, firmly.

Pia reluctantly went over to the table, and gingerly sat down, gritting her teeth as she did so. Alexi placed the plate down and removed the cloche. Pia pushed it aside. "Eat." He insisted. "You have to keep up your strength, you have a performance today." Pia begrudgingly picked up a piece of toast, and took a bite. Alexi passed her a glass of orange juice. She took a sip just so that she could swallow the toast, and realized how thirsty she really was. He watched her down the glass as he casually ate. "I want you to make sure you're ready to check out by 10, and then we're going to the art centre." He informed her.

"Yes, Maestro." She promised, obediently.

Alexi could see she was still upset. He put down his knife and fork, and folded his napkin neatly on the table. "Look at me." He demanded, as he lifted her chin. Pia's eyes met his. Immediately, she felt calmer, watching the fireworks dancing in the light. "You are my Muse," he told her.

"And you are my Maestro." She answered.

(...)

Dean drove down the dusty highway, grumbling. "First we go on a 12 hour drive just to find out she wasn't on the bus after all," he complained, "And before I even get a decent sleep, we're back on the road?"

"Look, you didn't hear her on the phone, I think Alexi really hurt her this time."

"But Tulsa, Sam, all this time she was just in Tulsa!" Dean griped, "it only takes 4 hours to get to Tulsa!"

"I know, I'll make it up to you somehow, right now, we have to get her away from Alexi."

"Why? Where are we going take her? Not back to the Bunker, I hope,"

"Like I said, I'll make it up to you,"

"Sure you will..." Dean said, incredulously as the Impala raced down the highway


	5. Chapter 5

Alexi stood on the stage, incensed. "Again..." he barked.

Pia tried to sing an intricate scale, and choked on the top note. "I can't," she insisted, her voice still raw from the night before. The orchestra, waiting for direction, watched them uncomfortably.

"Take 5." He told them, and pulled her aside. Turning on the metronome, he placed her in front of it. "Take a deep breath...Don't close your eyes." Pia tried to follow his orders. "Now try it again."

Trepidatiously, she started the vocal measure, only to cough mid-way. "I can't do it!" She cried, "I'm not a ROBOT!"

"You can, and you will." Alexi was starting to lose patience. He poured a glass of water from the jug next to him, and handed it to her. She reached out and took it shakily. Checking himself, he managed to feign a calm demeanour. "You're just nervous, remember what I taught you..." She nodded and faced the metronome, its' perpetual ticking matching her heartbeat, soothing her into submission. "One more time." He commanded.

Pia went through the scale again, this time hitting the high note, clear and concise. Oblivious to the approving murmur from the remaining orchestra members, she smiled. "I did it!" She beamed, surprised at her own capability.

"Yes, you did," Alexi reassured her. "Now keep watching the metronome, and remember, don't close your eyes!" He whispered in her ear. "The audience wants to see your eyes, and who are you here for?"

"The audience." Tic-Tock, Tic-Tock went the continuous beat.

"And they want to see you succeed."

"Yes, Maestro." She concurred. Satisfied that everything was under control, Alexi left her side to retrieve more music from his dressing room.

Sam and Dean entered the auditorium, and down the steps toward the stage. "Pia," Sam said. She didn't seem to hear, and kept watching the metronome. He touched her arm, "Pia."

She looked at him, and for a moment it seemed like she didn't recognize them. "Sam!" She finally said. "Go, please, get out of here." She looked around to make sure Alexi didn't hear.

Sam was puzzled, "What..." he started.

"I was wrong to call you," Pia insisted, "please go,"

Sam was taken aback by her sudden change of heart. "You can't stay here," he grabbed her arm, and saw the bruises on her wrist. "Let's get you somewhere safe."

Pia shook herself free of his grip. "You lied to me!" She said to him, accusingly, "You're not bounty hunters, you're HUNTERS! Alexi told me how you kill people with special gifts, like him!"

Surprised at her outburst, he led her to the wings away from the prying eyes of the returning orchestra members, "Not special gifts, Pia, dangerous powers." He tried to explain, "Look, why are you having a concert here? Tonight?"

"It's Veteran's Day... a lot of soldiers will be here."

Sam hesitated a moment, suddenly realizing the enormity of the situation, "Did Alexi write a song especially for this show?"

"Of course," She answered, confused, "How did you know?"

"The songs Alexi writes..." Sam tried to break it to her gently, "have some sort of hypnotic power. They're written specifically for the victim, and he needs you to deliver that song." He could tell he wasn't getting through to her. He tried again. "Do you remember the show you did last week in Utah?" Pia nodded. "The song Alexi wrote, four people died as a result."

Pia's eyes narrowed, "People died from a song?" She asked, sarcastically.

"I know it sounds absurd," Sam kept on, "But his songs compel people to do his bidding, the victims last week actually thought they could fly.."

"That's insane!" Pia dismissed the thought, "Please...Just go!"

"Come with me."

"I can't..." Pia looked around, "Please, before Alexi sees you!"

Dean motioned to Sam to get going, and he reluctantly joined his brother, following him up the theatre stairs, and out the door.

Alexi came back on stage with a folder of music. He saw the theatre door closing, and smiled to himself. Placing the folder on the piano, he told her, "Here is the song I wrote especially for tonight," Some of the music fell out of the folder, and onto the ground. As Pia stooped to pick them up, she saw copies a song that had been crossed out with a large "X" She assumed it was a song Alexi had written and rejected, and stuffed it back into his folder.

"Let's go through it," he said, handing her a copy of the new song, and placing her in front of the microphone. He glanced over at the balcony, where Sam and Dean lay in wait.

Pia started, tentatively

"Like a knight in shining armour, flying o'er the battlefield,

Picking up the wounded soldiers, all the ones who've lost their shields

And returning them to safety, that's the best that I can do,

Like a knight in shining armour, I will come to rescue you."

Alexi passed the music to the orchestra, who joined in at the bridge as she kept singing,

"I'm not here for praise or glory, I just try to stay alive,

I don't try to be a hero, my reward is to survive,

Darkest night lit up like fireworks, every round that I release,

Bullets flying through the darkness, in a war to keep the peace,

All alone, I fight the enemy, for as far as I can see,"

Dean aimed his revolver, and had Alexi in his sights, when a strange feeling came over him, He turned, and suddenly saw Sam, whom he no longer recognized, wearing a Nazi uniform. Sam jumped at him, seeing Dean as the one wearing an SS uniform. They both tried to wrestle the guns from each others' hands.

"Like a knight in shining armour, who will come to rescue me?"

Pia stopped singing when she saw Sam and Dean rolling down the steps, and almost over the balcony. Dean broke away from his brother's grip, and ran back up the stairs, with Sam in hot pursuit. Alexi left the stage and quickly ran to the balcony foyer, drawing his gun, ready to shoot whomever won the fight.

Pia watched the commotion, bewildered. She knew the boys well enough to know that they would never fight each other. Suddenly, she understood what Sam had been trying to tell her. Pia stood, frozen, not knowing what to do, and then she remembered the music. There had to be a reason Alexi crossed it out, so she ran to the piano, and opened the folder. It was worth a try, she thought as she quickly distributed the music to the orchestra. They started playing.

"Goodbye, it can't go on like this

there is something that was missed

from the moment that we kissed"

As Alexi watched the Winchesters fight, he realized too late what Pia was singing. With an anguished cry, he tried to get back downstairs to stop her, but to no avail. The song went on.

"There's no other choice I see

So with a heavy heart

I SET YOU FREE..."

As suddenly as they started, the boys stopped fighting each other. No longer in a trance, Dean saw Alexi running away, and chased after him, with Sam not far behind. Alexi ran downstairs and ducked into a costume room, "Zachariah!" He called out to the heavens, "Zachariah, I need you!" There was no answer. He knocked over a garment rack as Dean entered the room, ran out the other side, and onto the street. Sam and Dean nimbly jumped over the strewn costumes, and followed him, fanning out as they reached a park. Alexi called out to Zachariah again, only not so contrite this time, "ZACHARIAH! I need some help, here!"

There was an audible rustle, and Zachariah appeared, "Look, I contact you, not the other way around," he said, somewhat miffed.

"The Winchesters...You OWE me."

"No, I don't," Zachariah corrected him, "I've been saving your worthless skin since Russia. But now that the cat's out of the bag, you're of no use to me. You're on your own."

"I'll find a new singer!" Alexi tried to bargain, but his only reply was a rustle of feathers, and Zachariah was gone.

Sam watched Alexi run into a warehouse at the other end of the park, and signalled to his brother to follow. They carefully entered the building. It was dark, with only the fading sun lighting the room. A bullet whizzed past Sam's head, and he ducked down, hiding behind a large piece of machinery. He saw Dean on the other side of the room, and gave him a signal to go around, not realizing Alexi was right above him in the loft, with his gun aimed right at his head.

The peaceful night air was broken as three shots fired off almost simultaneously, accompanied by lightning-like flashes appearing through the dark warehouse windows.

(...)

Pia stood on the stage, alone. She had sent the orchestra away until the show, and was nervously pacing the floor. The minutes seemed like hours, as she waited for word. She didn't kid herself, she knew either outcome would have its' own repercussions.

Dean rushed onto the stage, WITHOUT SAM... She unconsciously held her breath as he came towards her, searching his eyes for answers. Expecting the worst, she started to shake her head in denial. Suddenly, Sam burst in, and she knew without a doubt that Alexi was dead. Filled with both relief and grief, she fell to the ground. Sam ran over and held her in his arms, comforting her while she sobbed uncontrollably.


	6. Epilogue

"Two dozen cookies," Sam watched his brother eat, "She made two dozen cookies, and this is all we have left?" He indicated to the plate with only two cookies and a pile of crumbs.

Dean shrugged, "She's making more..." He said with his mouth full, "You gotta love the grieving process!"

"You mean taking advantage of the grieving process," Sam corrected his brother as he grabbed a cookie before they all disappeared. He went over to Pia and showed her his laptop. "I did it!" He told her.

She looked up from her last batch of cookies, " Did what?" She asked him as she glanced at his laptop, "Oh my God, is that what I think it is?"

"Uh-huh," Sam confirmed, proudly, "I transferred all the money from Alexi's bank accounts to yours."

She looked at the screen with disbelief. "Look at all those zeros..." She looked at Sam with questioning eyes. "Are you sure? I mean, what if...if..."

"He's dead, Pia." Sam answered the question she was afraid to ask. "Alexi's dead, this is all yours."

Pia did her best to shake off the feelings of melancholy, looked at the screen again, and for the first time, let herself accept her good fortune, smiling broadly. "I don't know what to say! Thank you, Sam!"

Sam smiled at Pia as he left the kitchen.

Pia shook her head in disbelief and rolled out the last of the dough, using the top of a glass to cut out the cookies in lieu of a cookie cutter. Then she started to sing her favourite song, 'Desperado'.

Dean picked up the last cookie and stopped to listen to her, mesmerized. The words never rang truer in his ears.

THE END


End file.
